Charlayne Jean Clark, 74, died Tuesday, Nov. 1, following a long battle with emphysema. A celebration of life service to honor Mrs. Clark will be 2 p.m. Sunday at Banner Cemetery, 1?2 mile east of 120th Avenue on Banner Road. A reception will follow at 312 Floyd Ave.

Mrs. Clark was a resident of the Noble Health Care Center since October 2004 and Lexington resident since 1979. Mrs. Clark was born Oct. 15, 1931, in McVeigh, Ky. She grew up in Tennessee, the oldest of five children, and enjoyed spending time in the outdoors. She married high school English teacher Hap Clark in 1949 and they began married life in Fairbanks, Alaska, shortly after. The Clarks moved from Alaska to New York, where their family grew. The Clark family moved to Norman in August 1964 when Mr. Clark was transferred to Tinker Air Force Base. The family lived in Norman near the University of Oklahoma for 15 years. Mrs. Clark was an advocate for human rights. She was a member of the League of Women Voters of Norman and supported integration of black families into Norman. The family was involved with the Society of Friends meeting in Norman and participated in Buddhist meditations from their Jenkins Avenue home. Mrs. Clark moved to Lexington in 1979. She enjoyed her rural life including gardening, feeding birds and watching wildlife. She was an accomplished gardener and assisted others in learning more about Oklahoma gardening. She was a homemaker and worked at different times for OU's Testing Center. She was the garden room expert at Norman Feed and Seed, where she was also known as "Clyde." Mrs. Clark enjoyed storytelling and spending time with friends and family.

Mrs. Clark was preceded in death by her son Robin Ray; husband Harold "Hap"; mother Edna McCurry; father Jasper McCurry; and sisters Glenna Franklin and Wanda Day.

Mrs. Clark is survived by her brothers Danny McCurry of Knoxville, Tenn., and Tommy McCurry of North Hampton, Mass.; children Cherie Clark of Laurel, Del., David Clark and wife Helen of Quechee, Vt., Jason Clark of Santa Monica, Calif., Kelly Clark of Carson City, Nev., and Tracy Clark and husband Jason Fink of Albuquerque, N.M.; and grandchildren Cassady and Cailey Clark, Kyle and Caitlin Berger and Zoey and Bailey Fink.

Contributions may be sent to the American Lung Association of Oklahoma.